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Qli
"Qli", known as "Qliphort" (クリフォート Kurifōto) in the OCG, is an archetype of Machine-Type EARTH monsters introduced in The New Challengers that are designed to take advantage of the Pendulum Summon mechanic. This is reflected in the eye-shaped motifs visible in their appearances; these motifs are flanked by two crystals, one blue and another red, that are identical to the indicators of a Pendulum Scale. Design Despite "Qli" sounding like Qliphoth (lit. "peels", "shells" or "husks"), the representation of evil or impure spiritual forces in Jewish mysticism, the "Qliphorts" are actually based on the Sephirot. These are the 10 attributes through which god reveals himself and continuously creates both the physical realm and the chain of higher metaphysical realms. They are documented in some texts of Kabbalah, a set of teachings originated in Judaism. Most currently known "Qli" monsters are somehow or somewhat related to computing, as inferred from their names and flavor texts ("Archive", "Disk", "Shell", "Tool", "Alias"). "Genome" refers to the genomes of biological organisms, as they bear resemblance with how computers store their data. Each name also referenes a member of the Sephirot. Playing style Their focus is to Pendulum Summon monsters to fuel Tribute Summons, with effects that activate when Tributed or when Summoned by Tributing members of the archetype. With the exception of "Qliphort Scout", all "Qli" Pendulum monsters have 2400/2800 ATK and 1000 DEF ("Scout" has 1000 ATK and 2800 DEF), like the "Monarchs", and possess the following effects: * Pendulum Effect: You cannot Special Summon any monsters, except "Qli" monsters (this effect cannot be negated). * Monster Effect: ''You can Normal Summon this card without Tributing. If this card was Special Summoned or Normal Summoned without Tributing, its Level becomes 4 and its original ATK becomes 1800. If this card was Normal Summoned, this card is unaffected by effects activated by monsters whose original Level or Rank is lower than this card's Level. In addition, these "Qli" Pendulum Monsters can manipulate the ATK of monsters on the field (with the lone exception of "Scout"); those with a Pendulum Scale of 1 boost the ATK of your "Qli" monsters by 300, while those with a Scale of 9 reduce your opponent's monsters' ATK by 300. Strategy The main strategy is to use "Qliphort Scout" to gain Card Advantage, allowing Pendulum Summoning a number of "Qli" monsters. The effects of "Qliphort Carrier" and "Qliphort Helix" Trigger when being Tributed, so by using them to Tribute Summon "Qliphort Disk", "Qliphort Shell" or the ace of the archetype: "Apoqliphort Towers", which resists card effects of any kind, can generate further Field Advantage. "Qli" Decks support Tribute Summon, therefore they can put to use the "Monarch" series, which, depending on which Monarchs are used, can cripple the opponent in various ways. However, Normal Summon can only be conducted once per turn. Hence to avoid potential Dead Draws, "Monarch" monsters are rarely seen in decks for competitive plays. "Performapal Trampolynx" is a very good support for "Qliphort Scout". Its ability allows an extra search per turn and access to Special Summon non-Qliphort monsters like "Abyss Dweller" to grant extra powers against the opponent. Spell Cards such as "Summoner's Art", "Saqlifice" and "Pot of Duality" contribute to searching the key card "Qliphort Scout". "Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon" is capable of searching either "Qliphort Scout" or "Performapal Trampolynx" with a drawback of one-turn delay. The defense line mainly consists Trap Cards that either wipe off opponents' monsters or prevent them from expanding. "Skill Drain" can dramatically increase the Damage output from Qliphort monsters and Lock Down opponent's field monster effects. Other powerful Trap Cards like "Vanity's Emptiness" and "Torrential Tribute" are suggested as well since "Qli" monsters have a fairly high ATK with the support of "Saqlifice" and returns to the Extra Deck when sent to the Graveyard, thus can be brought back to the field by Pendulum Summoning. Weaknesses Due to the fact that "Qli" Decks very much rely on "Qliphort Scout", a simple floodgate is to use cards with effects that can destroy opponent's Continuous Spell Cards, such as "Mystical Space Typhoon" and "Fairy Wind". These cards can also counter opponent's "Skill Drain" or "Vanity's Emptiness", which are common and can be fatal to certain decks if not dealt with. Cards like "Prohibition", "Thunder King Rai-Oh", "Cursed Seal of the Forbidden Spell", and "Mask of Restrict" that prohibits either the use of "Qliphort Scout" or Tribute Summon are effective as well, but they become futile once the opponent has already set up a field. When playing a "Qli" deck, be aware of threats such as "Mystical Space Typhoon" and "Bottomless Trap Hole". It is suggested that before extending, clear the opponent's backrows as many as possible by using cards like "Night Beam", which counters free-chain cards such as "Mystical Space Typhoon" and "Sinister Shadow Games". "Apoqliphort" (can be searched by "Qliphort Scout") returns "Qli" monsters in the Extra Deck to hand and can be fairly effective when the opponent is focusing on destroying cards in Pendulum Zones. Recommended cards References Category:TCG and OCG archetypes